This invention relates to a bearing assembly and more particularly to a new and improved bearing assembly for use in supporting a vehicle wheel mounting that is subjected to various forces including thrust forces.
In vehicle suspension systems the drive wheels are connected to axles via suitable mounting means as well as to suspension means. Such mounting means or support are subjected to complex forces because of their need to accommodate the rotative forces, thrust forces and those encountered due to the vehicle wheel traversing uneven terrain, skidding, braking and acceleration forces including those encountered as in cornering. The mounting support which includes the wheel brake support which houses ordinarily a complex roller and thrust bearing assembly takes up critical area, is expensive and undergoes complex dynamic forces. The present invention is directed to a new and improved bearing assembly for use in supporting the wheel and wheel brake support which is cost effective and particularly unique for such an application as where the wheel brake support is also connected to the suspension system. The present invention is explained in cooperation with a suspension system using a torsilastic spring; however, the application of the bearing unit is equally applicable to other suspension systems and to other applications.